A Different Life
by ddh1973
Summary: What if Grant Ward had a family member that actually stood up for him and stopped the chain of events that led to him being influenced by Garrett? What if he was helped at a young age for the abuse in his early childhood?
1. Prologue

Title: A Different Life

Author: Debra

Rating: Teen

Summary: What if Grant Ward had a family member that actually stood up for him and stopped the chain of events that led to him being influenced by Garrett? What if he was helped at a young age for the abuse in his early childhood?

Author's Notes: This first chapter just gives a basic idea of the storyline with flashbacks throughout the rest of the chapters as an alternate version of season 1 where Ward doesn't become a part of Hydra. He will also meet Skye a lot quicker than he did on the show. He might be a little or very OOC but his life experiences after setting his parents' house on fire were different in this story than they were on the show.

I will write flashbacks to show what happened to them during the events of this chapter and where they meet again at the beginning of the next chapter, which will be a different take on the pilot episode.

I hope everybody likes this because this is my first attempt at Agents of Shield fanfiction and a different style of writing than I am used to.

Disclaimer: The known characters in this story all belong to ABC and Marvel. If they belonged to me, I would definitely have a lot less bills to pay than I do right now.

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><p><span><strong>Prologue<strong>

The smell of pipe tobacco invaded the first floor of the Ward family estate as Lillian Ward followed her mother down the hallway to the latter's study where her older brother Travis and his oldest son Christian were waiting. She knew that her mother was ready to rip both of them a new butt for sending her middle nephew Grant to jail, especially given that they carried most of the blame for what he had done.

Lily had been born twenty years after Travis in what they liked to call a 'menopause' pregnancy and was a few years older than Christian and a decade older than Grant. She was very angry at her brother and oldest nephew and wished that she was ten years older so she could have stopped the abuse before it had led to Grant trying to kill Christian.

"What the hell are you thinking?"

Constance Ward was mad as a hornet and ready to strangle her oldest child with her bare hands. It would have been funny to see the normally calm and composed society matron looking that angry but Lily knew that if she laughed her mom would let her have it too. Even her best efforts to help had failed.

"Mom, you need to calm down," Lily stated as she glared at Travis and Christian her manicured nails digging into her palms in an effort to stop herself from slapping the both of them.

"Lillian, let me handle this," Constance snapped at her youngest child as she walked over to her son and grandson.

"You will drop the charges and allow Lily to get my grandson out of that juvenile detention or I swear, Travis James Ward, I will write you out of my will and Lily will inherit everything and control the family fortune all by herself after I pass away."

"Do you even give a damn that he tried to kill me, Gramsy?"

Constance looked over at her oldest grandson and harshly responded to his question.

"Don't you dare act like the hurt party, Christian; all four of us know that you provoked it by beating the hell out of him, Thomas may he rest in peace, and Louise when all of you were growing up. By the way, both of them will be coming to live with me after Louise is out of the hospital and Grant is brought back here."

Constance took the documents that Lily had pulled out of her briefcase and handed them to Travis.

"Sign them, now!"

Travis Ward, in his forty five years on the planet, that his mother meant it when she said that she would disinherit him and leave everything to Lily, his mother was many things but dishonest wasn't one of them.. If she said she was going to do something, she did it. He ran his fingers through his graying dark hair before taking the papers from his mom, placing them on the desk and signing them.

Constance and Lily didn't say a word as he handed them papers back to them. They just turned and walked out of the room, the latter leaving the house to go and get her nephew before anything bad could happen to him.

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><p>An hour later, Lily stepped into the visitation room of the facility where Grant had been taken after his arrest and saw him sitting with the last person she had ever expected to find her nephew talking to. It was Shield Agent John Garrett. There was something about this that Lily didn't like and a sense of urgency took over. Everything inside of her was screaming that she needed to stop what was happening before something bad happened.<p>

Lily took a few calming breaths before she walked over to where Grant and Garrett were sitting and placed a gentle hand on her nephew's arm. He looked up at her, relief in his brown eyes at the sight of her before they both looked over at the man that had been talking to Grant.

"What the hell are you doing here, Garrett? Why are you talking to my nephew?"

Garrett didn't say a word because the wrong thing could get him arrested and this woman wasn't some weak little female he could push around. This was Lillian Ward, a woman who could make his life hell at Shield and could find out things that he doesn't want others knowing about.

"I apologize. I will come back and talk to him later, with your permission, of course."

"Grant won't be here later. I have come to take him home with me," she stated firmly before turning to face her nephew, "So go and get your things, Grant and I will wait here while they sign you out," Lily said.

She watched as Grant went with the guard to get his things before turning to face the man standing beside her. Her dark eyes turned fierce and her dark hair swung at her shoulders given how quickly Lily turned to look at Garrett.

"I don't know what angle you are playing at but it is creepy as hell coming here to talk to a teenage boy that you don't know. If I catch you anywhere near my nephew again, I will make you wish that you had never been born."

Lily watched John Garrett walk out of the room before pulling out her phone and calling the one person who might be able to help her find out what John Garrett was up to; someone she trusted.

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><p><strong>A week later<strong>

For the first time in seven days, Lily had a chance to relax and was sitting in a lounge chair on the deck. She was reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee sitting on the wooden table that was beside the chair. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail and the sleeves of the navy blue sweater she was wearing pushed up to her elbows over a black pair of jeans.

She heard the back door close and looked over to see Grant walking over to where his Aunt was sitting. He had the unreadable expression on his face that had been present since being brought back home. Letting out a calming breath, Lily sat down the paper and placed it on the table, waiting for him to sit down in the other lounge chair that was beside hers. She had a feeling it was going to be a repeat of the same conversation that had been happening off and on all week.

"Why did you and Gramsy get me out, Aunt Lil? I deserved to be there."

"No, you didn't. Your sorry excuse of a father and mother are to blame for what happened, not you. I wasn't old enough to help Christian or Thomas may he rest in peace, but I can help you and Louise have a normal life from here on out."

"I gave up the chance to be normal when I set fire to my parents' house."

"This isn't your fault and it is time for you to have some peace in your life and I plan on making sure that happens."

Before Grant could respond, a tall man in a butler's uniform stepped into the doorway and started to speak.

"Miss Ward, a Philip Coulson is here to see you."

"I have a meeting so why don't you go down to the barn and find the stable manager. He has a surprise for you from me and Gramsy."

Grant watched as his Aunt went into the house before getting up and walking down the deck steps that led into the backyard. As soon as he stepped into the stable and saw the chocolate lab puppy that the stable manager had been watching, he smiled for the first time in a long time.

He played with his new puppy for a few hours out in the backyard at least until his Aunt's voice carried down to him. Grant glanced up towards the deck and saw his Aunt standing with a man wearing a dark suit and they were both watching him and Buddy with beaming smiles.

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><p>A year later, Grant stood in a quiet corner and watched as his aunt talked with the nuns at St. Agnes, an orphanage that Lily had decided to visit. She had recently decided that she wanted to adopt a child and had come here to meet the children and start the process by being a foster mother.<p>

At sixteen, he was now attending a local private school close enough to where his aunt and grandmother lived where he could stay with them. He had also started to date a fellow classmate named Abby McCallister, the granddaughter of one of his Gramsy's friends. He liked her and being with her made him feel like a normal teenager but the scars of his parents and brother's abuse still haunted him.

Grant felt like he was being watched and looked over to see a little girl watching him. She had long dark hair and chocolate brown eyes that pulled a person in. She gave him a tiny wave and he returned it with a small smile.

"Mary, mother superior needs you," one of the nuns said as she walked over to the little girl and brought her over to where Lily was standing with the other nuns.

Grant watched them for a few minutes before Lily walked over holding Mary's hand in hers.

"Mary, this is my nephew Grant. He lives with me and I was hoping that you could come and stay with us."

Mary's eyes lit up before she hugged Lily and left with the nuns to get her things. As they left, Grant saw a serious look come into his Aunt's eyes and had a feeling that it wasn't just because Mary needed a home that she was coming home with them.

"This is about Shield, isn't it?"

"Grant, you aren't at the Academy yet, so I can't tell you that. All I will tell you is that we will have a lot of security measures in place and my own unique skills will be used to protect her."

Grant smirked at his aunt's mention of her 'unique skills' and memories of his brother finding out just how they worked two weeks after Grant had come to live with his aunt and Gramsy. It was a moment that he would never forget or ever stop taking an insane amount of pleasure remembering

_**Flashback**_

_**Grant had been in the yard with Buddy when the sight of his older brother walking towards him filled the teenage boy with fear but a determined resolve to stand up to his tormentor.**_

"_**You better be scared of me, you little shithead! Aunt Lily isn't here to protect you, is she? So now I am going to make you pay for trying to kill me."**_

_**Grant got into a defensive stance and waited to protect himself from the punch that Christian was going to throw when all of a sudden his older brother flew up into the air and was hanging upside down. The insane part was that there wasn't visible rope holding him there.**_

"_**Christian Michael Ward, you have just gotten a taste of what I am capable of. Your father found out when he tried to bully me the same way you do Grant and Louise and used to do to Brian," Lily had said as she walked off the deck steps and over to where her nephews were standing. "I have placed a spell on them that will cause trouble for anybody that tries to hurt them. I love you but until you can act like you have some damn sense, you are not allowed on this property. That goes for your parents too. Don't test me because you will lose."**_

_**Christian hit the ground hard and ran away without even looking back at his younger brother and Aunt.**_

_**That night, his Aunt had explained about the magic that went through the female line of the Ward family and that if he ever had a daughter, she would have that same gift. She had also told him that she used that gift to assist her friend Philip and Shield, the organization that both he and John Garrett worked for.**_

A few hours later, Grant was sitting in the parlor playing a board game with his Gramsy, Lily, his younger sister Louise and Mary, all of them laughing and having fun. He could feel the little girl's presence bringing happiness to the house that had been missing. Lily and Gramsy had another little girl to spoil and she and Louise had quickly become friends, playing with dolls and other games little girls their age did.

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><p>On a bright and sunny day, not long after Mary had come to live with the Ward's, she and Louise were playing outside with Buddy chasing them while Grant sat on the deck steps watching them. He then saw his Aunt's friend Philip walking over to sit down beside him.<p>

"How are you doing, Grant?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Coulson."

"I see you got volunteered into babysitting."

"I don't mind, sir. Skye and Louise are still little and shouldn't be out here by themselves, even with all of the security Aunt Lily has hired."

"Why do you call her Skye?"

"When she told Aunt Lily the name the nuns gave her, they decided on a new first name to go with our last name. She is starting the adoption process already."

"Do you have a problem with her adopting Skye?"

"No. She needs a good home like Louise and I did before Aunt Lily took us in."

The sound of Skye crying drew both Grant's and Philip's attention and they looked up to see a five foot two blond teenage girl standing with them. Louise was glaring at her and the girl looked smug at least until Louise came running over to her big brother.

"Abby called Skye a charity case brat that needed to go back to where she comes from."

Grant walked over to his girlfriend and led her away from the little girls while Philip Coulson had started to keep an eye on them. He looked ready to strangle her but had to fight the urge to do it.

"Why are you acting like this? She is an innocent little girl."

"One that can't take her eyes off of you, it's disgusting."

"Abby, go home."

Grant walked away from her and back over to where Philip had been convinced by Skye and Louise into playing Ring Around the Rosie. Skye's dark hair and his sister light brown blew in the wind as both girls giggled and the big tough Government agent turned to putty in their tiny hands.

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><p>Six years later, Grant was at his college graduation from Harvard and was watching as Lily and Skye, Louise and his Gramsy come walking towards him. Philip Coulson, who had been Grant's mentor during high school and college, was with them and the pride in all of their eyes made him feel good about himself. Although that was the moment, Christian and his parents had also come into view and his ex-girlfriend Abby McCallister holding onto Christian's arm.<p>

He had gotten back together with her not long after her harsh words to Skye but everybody else in his family didn't like her anymore. Lily and Louise hated her with a passion while his Gramsy had maintained her friendship with Abby's grandmother but didn't trust her around Skye. That had changed the day she had betrayed Grant with the one person that she knew would hurt him the most.

She cheated on him with his brother at Grant's graduation party four years earlier and Skye had been the one to see them having sex in the barn. The little girl, who had been Grant's shadow from the moment she had come to live with the Ward's had told him and despite Abby's attempts to call Skye a liar, Grant and Lily had believed Skye.

At sixteen, Skye had become a beautiful young woman and his feelings for her had changed and started to scare him. She had been his light in the darkness he had always lived in but at her age, it wasn't the right time to even think about her the way he was.

"It's a good thing that you are going to the Academy, son," Philip Coulson said quietly. "Four years will give her time to grow up but now isn't the time."

"I know, sir and maybe by then she will have found somebody else."

Philip Coulson had to fight not to call Grant out on his crap because he had seen how Skye had looked at Grant with adoring eyes since she was a little girl and was in love with her adopted cousin as much as he loved her. That had been the reason that Grant's high school sweetheart had cheated on him with his brother, she knew that he would never love her the way he did Skye.

Night had fallen on the Ward family estate as the party died down and Grant made his way to his bedroom to get a shower and go to the party that one of his former classmates was throwing that night.

The second he turned on the light, Grant had to fight not to give into the urge to run at the sight of his future sister-in-law lying in his bed with no clothes on. He quickly shut the door before his Aunt saw this and went off.

"What the hell are you doing, Abby?"

The five foot two slender blond got out of the bed and walked towards him, a seductive look on her face. Her hair reached her waist and even though his body had a physical response to her beauty, Grant knew that he was messing with fire if he touched her.

"I wanted to help you celebrate your graduation like I did four years ago when we graduated high school."

"Abby, you fucked Christian right after you and I had sex that night," he stated. "Any feelings I had for you ended after that and given the fact that our grandmothers are planning yours and Christian's wedding, I wouldn't touch you even if I did."

Her classically pretty face turned ugly as she started to respond to his words.

"Don't even act like the bigger person, Grant. You were too busy thinking about a twelve year old girl instead of me that night. I wasn't stupid. I knew that you were starting to have inappropriate feelings for a little girl and you still do even now."

"Get your clothes on and get out of my room."

"You will pay for this, Grant. I will make sure of it."

Abby grabbed her clothes and stormed into the bathroom while Grant left the room, coming face to face with his sister, who had overheard the entire conversation.

"I texted Aunt Lily about what happened here and she is going to handle this to keep Abby from lying to Christian and starting trouble."

The siblings walked away while Skye stepped out of her bedroom and into Grant's. She saw Abby coming out of the bathroom, straightening her clothes and a look of jealousy came over her face.

"I guess he wanted a real woman and not a little girl. Why don't you take your pathetic ass and go back to where you came from because you aren't fit to be a Ward, through either adoption or marriage."

"You're a bitch, Abby and have always been one. You might be marrying a Ward but the members of this family that matter to Grant can't stand you. I might not be the one that Grant's marries but given what you have done in the past four years, it sure as hell won't be you."

Skye turned and ran out of the room and into hers, grabbing a suitcase and packing it. She threw it out of the window and climbed down the trellis towards the van that Lily had bought for her. It was time to find out who she was without Grant and the family that had taken her in and gave her more than she deserved.

It wasn't long after that Grant walked into the room to figure out where Skye was and came across the empty room and the letter she had written for Lily. He read it and sat down on her bed, feeling like his light was gone and how he was going to tell his Aunt Lily her little girl had disappeared.


	2. Found

AN: I apologize for taking so long to post this chapter but everytime I had parts of it finished, I found myself erasing what I had written and starting over. Nothing I had written felt right. I have made some changes to my initial storyline and have went in a different direction that hopefully the people who have read, reviewed and put this story on their alerts will like.

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><p>It wasn't long after he found Skye's letter that Grant came rushing into his Gramsy's study where Lily, his father, Christian and Abby were all having a very loud confrontation. He held the letter Skye had written tightly in his right fist as he went over to his Aunt and handed it to her.<p>

Lily's normally calm and composed facade dissolved into pure rage as she looked over at Abby. She threw the letter at her brother for him to read before going off like a rocket.

"I don't why you have this attitude towards my daughter where you think you can get away with telling her that she doesn't belong here but it stops now. Or the wedding that you and your family needs to happen will be called off and all of the people your father owes money to will have fun picking off what's left of his assets."

Travis finished reading the letter and handed it to Christian, who turned almost purple with rage at Skye's words. The latter glared at his fiancée before speaking.

"Abby, did you think I didn't know that you still had feelings for Grant? I went through with it so I could mess with his head because I am a manipulative and abusive ass but the one thing that we agree on is Skye. She is a Ward and belongs with this family more than you ever will," he bit out. "That little girl changed things for all of us with the love and compassion she has in her heart and because of you, she is gone. You better hope that we find her or I swear, you will regret it Abby."

"I know where she is and I will give her twenty four hours before I go after her," Lily said serenely. "All of you underestimate how strong my powers are."

Travis felt the usual envy that his sister and daughter will experience the 'family gift' as it has always been called because they were females. His need to find his young niece overpowered that jealousy.

"Where is she, Lily?"

"She drove her van to the family's beach house in the Hamptons and I will be driving out there in the morning."

"I'm going with you," Grant stated before leaving the room, slamming the door behind him.

"Are you planning on doing something about that, Lily?"

Lily turned to face her brother, smirking at him before starting to leave the room.

"Travis, Grant won't give into his feelings for Skye until sometime after she is eighteen years old. As the only remaining Ward witch, at least until Louise comes into her own powers, I have foreseen it and then the world will only benefit from the love they will share. At least in this universe, others versions of them will experience some significant heartache before having their happy ending and the two of you are bigger assholes than you are now. The familial love you have for Skye will be your salvation."

The door to the study closed behind her and Travis turned to his oldest son and future daughter-in-law, laying down the law as to how things would proceed for them from here on out. It would all start with a prenuptial agreement and proceed from there.

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><p>The next morning, Skye woke up in her bed at the family's beach house and longed for her mom. She felt stupid for running away like that but Abby had been going at her like that since she was nine years old. She'd reached her limit of how much of the older girl's bullshit she could take.<p>

_**Memories of why the older girl had stepped up her efforts to make Skye's life a living hell just about overwhelmed her. She had been twelve years old and it had been the night of Grant's high school graduation and she went down to the barn after watching the boy that she was supposed to think of as a cousin but was beginning to have her first crush on disappear upstairs with Abby.**_

_**She didn't know how much time had passed before the sound of Christian and a female with a familiar voice came walking into the stable and started to have sex in one of the stalls. Skye wanted to puke because she had a fairly good idea what they were doing after her conversation with her mom about sex a few days before after she had started her first period but to hear her cousin, Christian do that with some girl totally grossed her out.**_

_**Skye was starting to leave the stable when a familiar giggle carried over to her and she stepped over and quickly peeked in to see Abby was the girl with Christian. She had quickly ran to the house and told her mom and Grant what she had seen. **_

_**By the time Skye had gotten back to the stable, Grant and his brother were in the middle of a fist fight and Abby was crying and claiming to her boyfriend that it wasn't what it looked like. After being pulled off of his brother by Philip Coulson, Grant had dumped Abby and walked away, the sound of his car leaving the estate carrying over to them a few minutes later.**_

"_**Mom, this is my fault," Skye had tearfully said to her mom as she had gone to bed that night.**_

"_**No, this is Abby and Christian's fault, not yours," Lily said comfortingly before turning stern. "My only issue is that you aren't not supposed to be in the stable after dark, why were you there, Skye?"**_

_**After being grounded for a week, Skye had gone to bed. Abby had started to date Christian and after a year, plans had started to be made for their wedding. Grant had went to Harvard and when he was home on holidays, he didn't show any sign that he was still angry at Abby or that he even wanted her back. He had spent most of his time, hanging out with Skye and Louise, going to parties with his friends that were also home and helping out at the stables.**_

The sound of a car pulling up had brought the young woman back to reality as she glanced out at the driveway and saw both her mom and Grant get out of the car. She had a sinking feeling that she was in trouble.

"**MARY SKYE WARD, YOU HAVE BY THE TIME I COUNT TO TEN TO GET DOWN HERE, NOW!"**

"Yep, I'm in trouble."

Skye quickly left the room and went downstairs to the sight of her mom standing to her full five foot eight height looking ready to strangle her only child while Grant stood in the background. His own anger clearly written on his face but nowhere near as angry as her mom was.

"What the hell were you thinking? Did you think I wouldn't know where you were, Skye? You are aware of my abilities so why did you think I wouldn't come after you?"

"Mom, I was stupid. I let Abby get to me last night and ran before I could think about what I was doing."

Lily walked over and hugged the scared teenager before starting to respond to what her daughter had said.

"Damn right, you acted stupid. You are grounded and restricted to church and home only for the next month. No computer or phone for the next month."

"Yes ma'am."

Lily hugged her daughter one last time before turning to face Grant.

"Go and get our bags, Grant. The three of us will be staying here this weekend," she turned to face Mary. "Your punishment will begin on Monday."

Lily walked out of the room, dialing a number on her cellphone leaving her daughter and nephew alone.

"I really fucked up, didn't I?"

"Yes you did."

"Grant…"

"You saw how I was after she cheated on me with my brother so why would you think so little of me that I would let her back in my bed that easily. Christian might be an ass but he is my brother and I refuse to be like him. I won't sleep with his fiance."

"I know. I let her get to me. She has always known how to push my buttons."

"Forget Abby. She was being put in her place by Gramsy when I left to come and find you. You need to put aside anything she says to you, she isn't worth it."

Skye quickly hugged him before pulling away from the familiar longing she felt with him started again. The both ran out of the room and into the kitchen with Lily where nothing inappropriate would happen.

Lily was smirking as she watched them do everything but look at each other.

'Two years and they will be ready, until then maybe it is time to introduce a distraction, for the both of them.'

Lily quietly chanted a spell before starting to try and find something to prepare lunch for all three of them.

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><p>By Monday, they had returned home and Skye had quickly accepted a date with a boy named Miles that had moved to the area with his family while Grant started hanging out with Philip Coulson, Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton, preparing for the Academy and figuring which one of the latter two would be his SO while he was there.<p>

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><p>AN: I have introduced some known characters into the mix but I haven't decided if it will be Clint or Natasha will be Grant's SO. think I will do one more chapter before I get into the events of the first season.<p> 


	3. Unwarranted Jealousy

Skye was sitting with her feet dangling in the swimming pool that had been put in when Louise and Skye had turned twelve, watching as her mom and Uncle Travis had a blistering argument on the other side of the pool.

She couldn't hear what was said but before curiosity could get the best of her, the sound of Miles calling her name brought her focus back to him. Dating him for the past three months had kept her mind off Grant and any feelings that she had for him but she knew it wouldn't last beyond high school.

The sight of Christian and Abby sitting by the pool, talking to Louise and Gramsy about their wedding plans, made her want to throw up. She was disgusted with the both of them for going through with a wedding that they didn't want but for a business deal between their families. From what Grant had told her and Louise, Abby's family was broke and owed a lot of people more money than they had. So Abby had to marry Christian and her father had to give up controlling interest in their farming supply business that had been in their family for over six generations and they would have all of their debts paid off.

Her mom had a problem with the deal and how heartless it came across and that had been why she had been going ten rounds with Uncle Travis everytime she saw him. She also didn't want Abby anywhere around Grant or Skye and was going mama bear on her older brother.

Skye grimaced at the sight of Grant walking across to the pool to where his family was, a beautiful redhead that was around the same age as him, walking beside him. They were with Philip Coulson and another man that was a few inches shorter than Grant and ten years older but also very handsome.

Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff were very attractive to look at and very nice but the latter set Skye's teeth on edge. Despite being a year younger than Grant, she was higher up in Shield than he was and had been appointed his SO for while he was in the Academy and for a few years after he had graduated.

"Why do you glare at Natasha every time she comes over with Grant and AC?" Louise asked, a mischievous smirk coming over her pretty face.

Skye glanced over at her cousin and best friend and had to fight not to snap at her. Louise was the sweetest person that had ever been born and had recovered beautifully from the abuse that her parents and Christian had put her through. But she did have her moments where a playful nature came through and she liked to give Skye a bit of grief over her feelings for Grant.

"Has Grant said anything about whether or not he is dating Natasha?"

Miles glared at her while Louise giggled before responding to her cousin.

"Grant isn't dating his SO. She is a sister to him."

"Why do you care so much about who that Shield wannabe dates? You're his cousin, Skye and it is disgusting how you look at him?"

Skye slapped her boyfriend hard across the face before getting up and walking away. Everybody at the pool turned to look at Miles and noticed that Louise was glaring at him so hard that he would be dead already.

"They aren't related by blood, you dumb ass so you better cut out your bullshit if you want to keep her after she turns eighteen," Louise harshly whispered to him. "You better hope that Skye doesn't tell Grant or Aunt Lily what you just said or your ass is grass."

Louise shoved him into the pool before getting up and going to find Skye. When she got to the stable, the sight of Grant hugging her made her turn around and go back to the pool where she came across Natasha Romanoff, who was watching as Clint Barton lead a soaking wet Miles to his car.

"What did that little shit say to her, Lou?"

"He knows about her feelings for Grant and basically told her that it was disgusting to have feelings like that for her cousin."

Natasha shook her head in disbelief before grinning playfully at her trainee's younger sister.

"So how jealous was Skye this time?"

"You're enjoying winding her up, don't you?"

"Yes, especially since I have to hear Grant call Miles a douchebag everytime he hears his name. Your brother and cousin are a major source of entertainment for me, Clint and Agent Coulson."

The two women continued their conversation as it moved on from Grant and Skye to their own dating lives. Louise was dating a classmate that had plans to go to college and law school after graduating while Natasha dated various men between missions, despite all of the rumors going around about her and Clint Barton, they were only friends.

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><p>"Travis, having Christian go through with this wedding is a dumb idea. Mom and I can't stand Abby and it is disgusting what you are planning on doing to the McCallister family."<p>

"Milly agrees with you and mom about Abby. Christian has always been her favorite and she hates that he can't marry for love," Travis said, rolling his eyes. "Michael McCallister will still have interest in the company. It will be enough for his family to maintain a very comfortable lifestyle especially if your ideas for modernizing the company work. If I don't put some strict rules on how I help him, he will do this again.

"I agree but Christian's future, despite how much of an asshole he is, shouldn't be sacrificed for it."

"He wants to marry Abby because he wants her to pay for trying to sleep with Grant and torture her by having a front row seat to him falling in love with Skye."

"I love that boy but he is a sadist."

"Agreed and I regret to say that I raised him to be that way and combined with Milly spoiling him as if he was her only child, it is mine and his mother's fault."

"Too bad you didn't realize what you were doing before he drowned Thomas in that well."

Travis felt the familiar grief wash over him as memories of his youngest son went through him. He hated the circumstances behind his death and that Christian hadn't been sent to therapy for what he had done to both Grant and Thomas that day but there was nothing he could do about it now.

* * *

><p>Skye ran into the barn and over to her horse Wildfire's stall. The black mare with a white star shape on her forehead had been a gift for her sixteenth birthday from her mom. She hugged the horse, who had placed her head out of her stall when she had sensed Skye being nearby and reached down to pet Buddy, who was now seven years old and starting to slow down just a bit.<p>

"Are you okay, Skye?"

Grant's voice carried over from the doorway and Buddy ran over to his owner, begging him for attention, who willingly obliged him.

"Miles is being an ass again. He knows about how I feel about you and he acts like a jealous ass everytime he comes over here for a family party."

"What did you say?"

"He called my feelings for you disgusting."

"Skye, technically we are cousins and most people don't look too kindly on family dating each other."

"You think I don't know that," Skye snapped at him. "I have never seen you as my cousin, Grant. I do with Louise and Christian but you, I can't see like that. There is something powerful between us that nothing can be done about until I am old enough for us to give into it and not cause trouble. Please tell me that you feel this too, Grant and that I am not the only one."

"You're not, Skye. I have never seen you as my cousin even after Aunt Lily brought you home from the orphanage and adopted you. That is why I have stayed away at the Academy. I can't be around you without wanting to kiss you."

He walked over and hugged her, taking a moment to enjoy the warmth of her body being against his before kissing her softly on the forehead and walking away. He ignored the sobs coming from the stable and made himself walk back to the pool. He quietly talked to Louise and sent her to find Skye before kissing his Aunt and Gramsy on the cheek, telling them goodbye before leaving the party.

* * *

><p>AN: I was going to originally skip a bit of time but this came to me and it had to be written down. I am going to write some of what happens between now and Skye's eighteenth birthday developing their bond with some angst added in before the real romance kicks in.<p>

I am not a Clintasha fan so they will be only friends in this story. I am more of a Romanogers fan but I don't know if I will go that route either. I don't know if it is in character but I could see Natasha being the type to have some fun's at Grant's expense over his feelings for Skye and her dating Miles.


	4. Best Friends

AN: After last night's episode where Coulson ticked me off and Skye went along with everything he said like a lap dog, I had to write some happy Skyeward in this latest chapter even if it is as friends. I will start building the romance between them here in a few chapters.

I suspected that Christian Ward was going to be a jackass but I had been trying to write him with a sympathetic turn in the first few chapters of this story. That is over.

* * *

><p>Lily watched her family as they all gathered for Thanksgiving dinner and noticed something happening that made her concerned. Christian and Skye were having a conversation by the fireplace her daughter looked like she was ready to cry.<p>

She chanted a spell that would let her hear the conversation and it pissed her off to no end.

"Grant is a dark person, Skye. He's the one who killed our brother, not me. I promise you, it wasn't me," he said in that manipulative manner that had helped him get over on his parents and for a time, Lily herself until her powers kicked in and she developed the ability to read people.

"Why would Mom tell me that it was you who did it and that she saw it happen but couldn't stop you after you knocked her unconscious?"

"Your mom hit her head on the well after she tried to stop Grant from hurting Thomas."

"Mary Skye, go help Alicia set the table. Christian Michael, my office."

"Yes mom."

Skye quickly ran over to do as her mother told her to do while Lily stormed down the hall to her office with her nervous nephew following her.

As soon as the door to the room closed, Lily turned on her nephew and proceeded to go off on him.

"I don't know what kind of game you are playing by trying to put Thomas' murder off on Grant in front of Skye but it will stop now. You seem to forget about my powers and just what I can do, you sorry shit."

"Aunt Lily, it isn't fucking fair that I have to marry Abby for a business arrangement while Grant gets to wait for the girl he loves to grow up," he said disdainfully. "Besides she is family and has been from the moment you adopted her. It is disgusting how you are encouraging him in having feelings for a little girl."

"Hey, if I thought your father would stop the wedding, I would help you and to most people whatever is happening with Grant and Skye, it is wrong but they aren't related by blood and for some reason they have never seen each other as cousins," she stated before taking calming breath to keep from saying something she will regret. It didn't work. "Do I look like I am stupid, Christian? Grant has never done one inappropriate thing in regards to Skye and my daughter knows better. They are waiting until she turns eighteen and after that, none of us have any control over what Skye chooses to do. But I tell you one thing, if I ever catch you playing one of your mind games with her again, I will hex your balls off so fast your damn head will spin. I'm not playing with you."

Lily watched as Christian stormed out of the office before sitting down at the desk with her head in her hands. Skye stepped into the room and shut the door behind her, walking over to where her mom was sitting and hugging her from behind.

"I didn't believe him, mom. I know Grant and how gentle he is with both me and Louise but what you hadn't of stepped in when you did or in one of these other universes you keep talking about, you don't exist and Grant is a different person where life has made him a darker person. I might have believed Christian and what he was saying about Grant. Does that make me a bad person?"

"No. Christian can be very manipulative and that is how he got over on Travis and Milly when he was a kid. Louise will tell you that he really did things to hurt her and her brothers. He threw her down a flight of stairs and she almost died from the internal injuries. Grant was at military school and was told about what happened. He came home and set the house on fire and nearly killed Christian. It was only your grandmother that kept him from going to jail or worse. There is something I didn't tell anybody, Skye and this needs to stay between me and you."

"What is it?"

"When I walked into the juvenile facility to pick up Grant, I saw someone there with him. Someone I worked with at Shield, who had no business being there with Grant. The second I saw them together, I had a terrifying vision of the future Grant would have had if I hadn't of been there to stop it or if I hadn't been born. The two of you still fell in love but because of the hold this man had on Grant, he did things to hurt people that cared about him, including you, that made him lose the trust of those same people, permanently. One of them even threatened to kill him if she saw him again. The one person, who has been a positive male influence on Grant since my intervention, turned him over to Christian to be dealt with so he could save Shield. It made me move quicker than I have ever moved to stop my vision from happening. There are days that I would willingly give up my powers and have some peace but what would happen if I did."

Lily started to cry as Skye tried to comfort her mom the best she could until the sight of her grandmother walking into the room made her give a sigh of relief.

"Skye, Grant is here with Agents Coulson, Barton and Romanoff. Why don't you go and say hello to them while I talk to your mom."

Skye kissed Lily on the cheek before getting up and leaving room, stopping the door to see Constance embracing her daughter and calming her down.

* * *

><p>Skye made sure her new outfit, a burgundy sweater with three quarter sleeves and had a V-neck \ and a pair of new jeans that fit perfectly, still looked okay before stepping out into the parlor. She smiled at Louise, who was talking to her boyfriend, Trevor before walking over to talk to the one person she had wanted to see that night.<p>

He took her breath away as he stood there with Coulson, Barton and Romanoff in a pair of black jeans that fit every part of him just right and a light blue button up dress shirt. She was in love with him but knew that it couldn't happen, at least until she turned eighteen in a year and a half.

She walked over and hugged Agent Coulson, who she saw as a beloved uncle and tried to see how the kind man who had been gentle with her as a little girl could ever get to the point of turning someone over to their abuser. This version of him she couldn't see doing that but anybody is capable of anything if pushed hard enough.

"Happy Thanksgiving, AC."

"Happy Thanksgiving, Skye. How are you doing? I thought Miles would be here with you."

Skye could hear Louise start to laugh at Coulson's question before she started to laugh herself at her now ex-boyfriend's stupidity.

"Why do I have a feeling we are going to enjoy this explanation," Natasha stated, smirking at her trainee, who was muttering something about Miles being a douchebag.

"The dumbass was failing Biology and tried to hack into the school's computer to change his grade to keep from being grounded for a week. He got caught and now is grounded until the end of the year. I broke up with him so I haven't talked to him in a couple of weeks."

Louise and Trevor, an average looking boy around the same height as Skye, both start laughing at their classmate's stupid actions.

"Of course, he did try to set up Skye to make it look like she helped him," Abby stated, holding onto Christian's arm and ignoring Skye and Louise waving their arms in an effort to get her to shut up.

"He did what?"

Grant's voice was full of anger before he grabbed his coat and walked out the front door. Travis took off after his son before Coulson, Romanoff and Barton followed him, all of them trying to stop Grant from killing Skye's ex.

"Grant, that boy isn't worth you messing up your future over. He didn't succeed in getting Skye into trouble because at the time he did it, Skye was at your brother's engagement party. I have been a shitty father to you and you will listen to Phil more than me right now but I have a feeling he would tell you the same thing."

"Your father is right, Grant. Besides he lost Skye over it so it is his loss for being an idiot."

Grant walked past his father without saying a word and back into the house. Coulson stopped Travis from following him with what he said to him.

"One time of being a father to him doesn't absolve you off all the crap you put him through. Don't fuck with his head, Travis or your sister will be the first in line of a group of people ready to stand up for him."

* * *

><p>Skye was standing on the porch watching as Grant walked back up to go into the house and she took the hand he held out to her. They walked past their shocked family and went into library, closing the door behind them.<p>

Milly looked over at her mother-in-law, who had just came back into the room with Lily right behind her.

"Shouldn't we be worried about them being alone in a room together?"

Lily rolled her eyes at her sister-in-law before going over to talk to Coulson, Clint and Natasha.

* * *

><p>Grant and Skye were sitting on the couch with her head on his shoulder, having one of the conversations they used to have when she was a child before she became a teenager and adult emotions and feelings got in the way.<p>

"You call or text me every day, Skye. Why didn't you tell me that jackass tried to frame you for something you didn't do?"

"I knew you would do what your dad and Agent Coulson prevented you from doing and your dad is right. He isn't worth destroying your future over."

"He deserved to have his ass kicked for what he did."

"Mom ripped him a new one and the school suspended him for three weeks. It will also go on his permanent record so every college he applies to will read about what he did. I say he is pretty screwed without getting his ass kicked," she said calmly. "Enough about Miles, I need to tell you something. Mom almost had a breakdown earlier. I think controlling her magic is starting to get to her. The visions are also really starting to wear her down."

"Gramsy told me about how Grampsy's sister, Great Aunt Alice had moments like that were the 'gift' got to her and she had a breakdown over it."

"I feel for Louise when it is her time to go through this."

"I am glad that I was a male and it skipped me."

"What happens if it is you that has the daughter that is born with that gift?"

Grant shuddered in fear at that thought as they continued to talk about the upcoming Christmas holidays and other things that they each had dealt with in the three months since they had last seen each other.


	5. Breathe

A year and half had passed since that Thanksgiving and after that night Skye and Grant had decided to try a relationship without actually doing any of the physical stuff. They went to the movies and other dates but Natasha was always with them. They didn't hold hands of kiss, they just wanted to hangout and build their friendship before anything else happened. They were saving that for her eighteenth birthday.

Nobody in their family knew about this, only Natasha, who seemed to love matchmaking. Skye told her she would probably try to set Captain America up on a date, if he had lived in this time period. Natasha's response was that if Captain America had lived in this day and time, Coulson would probably act like a major fan boy over him. Skye, Clint and even Grant had laughed at that comment.

Finally it was Skye's birthday and Grant had a surprise for her that Natasha and Louise had helped him plan it. One she would never forget.

Darkness had fallen over the Ward family estate and right at midnight on the day of Skye's birthday the back door opened to the house and Skye stepped out onto the deck. She smiled at the sight of Grant standing by the stairs wearing a pair of jeans, white t-shirt and a black leather jacket. He returned her smile as she rushed over to him and took his hand.

He led her down the steps and into the pool house where he closed the door from the coolness in the air and handed her a small gift box.

"I wanted to give this to you so you could wear it at your party tonight, Happy Birthday."

Skye took the box from him and opened it, smiling with tears in her eyes at the 18k heart shaped diamond pendant on a delicate chain that rested on the cotton. She lifted it out of the box and handed it to Grant.

"Will you help me put it on?"

She turned her back to him and lifted up her dark hair, shivering at his fingers touching the back of her neck as he placed the pendant around her neck and hooked it together.

She turned to face him and their lips met in their first kiss. It was soft and gentle and Skye ran her fingers through his hair while he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to him. The briefly pulled away from each other before their mouths came back together for a more passionate kiss that continued until they had to pull away to catch their breaths.

"It's beautiful," she said, caressing the pendant while gazing into his caramel eyes.

"Not as beautiful as you."

They kissed again before leaving the pool house to go into the house and their own bedrooms. Unknown to the young couple, Lily was watching them from an upstairs window and saw the final kiss at the back door before they went into the house.

* * *

><p>Later that day, Skye watched as the house was being decorated for her birthday; the memory of passion filled kisses running through her mind. She had a feeling that her mom knew about them and the pool house, given her attempts at a disastrous sex talk after breakfast. One in which Skye had found an excuse to get away from her as quick as possible.<p>

Besides it wasn't like they were going to start having sex right away. It was too new and they had both agreed they weren't ready for anything else.

"Skye, your dress is here and we need to see if it fits," Abby came into the room, holding a newborn baby in her arms.

Skye, pulled herself back to reality and rushed over to gently lift the blue blanket and smiled at the sweet face of her baby cousin; the first in a new generation of the Ward family.

"Do you need me to hold Caleb for you?"

Abby smiled at her former rival tiredly as she handed her son to the teenager. They had called a truce after Christian had tried to manipulate Skye the Thanksgiving before last. Skye enjoyed babysitting him to help Abby out because she knew that Abby and Christian didn't have a happy marriage, even after the birth of their son.

Skye cuddled the baby to her chest before walking to the stairs to go and try on her dress for the party. As soon as she put her foot on the first step, Grant walked into the house with Natasha, who had come to help Skye get ready for her birthday party.

Grant smiled at the sight of Skye holding his young nephew, longing filing him at the sight of her holding a baby but that wasn't happening anytime soon. They had finally been able to start a real relationship but maybe someday in the future she would hold their baby.

Skye and Natasha went upstairs, both of them cooing over the baby while Grant walked towards the study to find out what his Aunt needed. He stopped short at the sight of Abby coming towards him to go upstairs.

While he had never loved her, he had cared about her even after the crap she had pulled and he felt bad for her in the fact that she was married to man she didn't love, who was a miserable excuse of a human being. She went past him without saying a word while he continued down the hall and into the study.

Lily and his Gramsy were in there and both smiled at him when they saw him but he still had a bad feeling about why they wanted to talk to him.

"Grant, sit down," Constance said, patting the place beside her on the love seat.

After he had sat down, Lily started to speak, a firm but gentle tone to her voice.

"We know that there is nothing keeping you and Skye from being together but we have one request, don't push her into a physical relationship quicker than she is ready for."

Grant groaned in embarrassment, ready for a hole to open up in the floor and swallow him whole.

"I wasn't planning on dragging her to a motel and have sex with her after the party tonight, Aunt Lily. She is worth more than that. She's my best friend and we have talked about seeing where the feelings we have for each other can go. We have already talked about sex decided to take things slow for the both of us," Grant ran his fingers through his thick dark hair in agitation. "I haven't been with anybody else since Abby and I'm not ready to jump into a sexual relationship and Skye knows that and agrees that her first time should be special. We are being smart about this."

He got up and left the room before his aunt and grandmother could embarrass him anymore than they already had. Lily turned to her mother, her dark eyes filled with worry.

"I don't' know if this is going to work, mom. They are both so young and inexperienced."

"Lilian, our Skye brings out something in him. I overheard you telling Skye about your vision of his future if that man had taken him and I am glad that you were there to stop it. He has a chance now and if you are correct about Skye, she needed us too."

Lilly started to laugh hysterically and laid her head on Constance's shoulders until she calmed down, gasping for air.

"Did you see his face mom, when he realized we were going to give him a sex talk?"

Constance joined her daughter in laughter that had both women in tears.

* * *

><p>Grant rushed up the main staircase and down the hall into the bedroom that had been his since he was fifteen years old and sat down on the bed. His face was still beat red from the conversation he had just had with his aunt and Gramsy.<p>

"I see they had the 'take it slow', conversation with you too," Skye said, smirking mischievously from the doorway.

"I wonder what they would say if they knew we have been finding places to make out since we woke up this morning," Grant responded, a similar smirk on his face.

Skye stepped into the room and shut his door. She made her way over to his bed sitting beside him and leaning over to softly kiss him. His fingers tangled into her dark hair and let himself get lost in her.

She pushed him back on the bed, lying on top of him all while keeping their mouths connected. It was getting more and more heated as the door to Grant's bedroom opened and Natasha stood there with a smirk on her face.

"The two of you are lucky it was me and not Lily. She would rip you both a new one and Coulson would help her."

They quickly pulled apart and got up from the bed before facing the redhead in front of them. Their faces were flushed from not only their previous kissing but from embarrassment at Natasha catching them.

"I need to go finish figuring out what I am going to wear tonight," Skye said, kissing Grant before running from the room.

"I think the two of you need to slow things down a bit. If you keep up this pace, you are going to have forgotten about your claims of waiting for sex by the end of the week."

* * *

><p>Later that night at the party, friends and family mingled around the parlor and the other common areas as the DJ played a hit pop song from that year. Skye, Natasha and Louise danced together, making males around them look at them in wonder.<p>

Grant stood with Coulson and Clint Barton, all three men enjoying the sight of Natasha acting so young and carefree after the life she'd had previously.

"Did you give her the necklace, son?" Coulson asked.

"Yes. It was worth the twelve hundred dollars I paid for it just to see the smile on her face."

"Don't even act like she didn't kiss you after you gave it to her," Barton smirked.

Grant smiled but didn't say a word before walking away from the two men.

"I didn't like the look of that smile," Coulson said.

"He is finally able to be with the girl he loves because she is finally old enough to have it not be a crime. He hasn't had it easy and that is first time since I met him that he is happy. Let him be."

"I am glad that he is happy, Barton. I have loved him like a son since he was fifteen years old but I have also loved that girl like she was my daughter too and I don't want to see them break each other's hearts."

The song had changed and Faith Hill's Breathe started to play and all of the couples in the room started to slow dance to the beautiful love song.

_**I can feel the magic floating in the air  
>Being with you gets me that way<br>I watch the sunlight dance across your face and I've  
>Never been this swept away<strong>_

Grant walked over to where Skye was at and they started to slow dance to the song, his arms around her and her head lying on his chest. They were wrapped up in each other and the music, nobody else in the world existed.

_**All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze**_  
><em><strong>When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms<strong>_  
><em><strong>The whole world just fades away<strong>_  
><em><strong>The only thing I hear<strong>_  
><em><strong>Is the beating of your heart<strong>_

Lily watched them and saw how perfect they looked together and knew that this was meant to be from her visions. She found herself wishing that she had someone to share with what her little girl and nephew were experiencing.

"Ms. Ward, would you like to dance with me?"

Lily turned to see Clint Barton standing there and smiled at him before letting him take her hand and onto the dance floor.

_**'Cause I can feel you breathe  
>It's washing over me<br>Suddenly I'm melting into you  
>There's nothing left to prove<br>Baby all we need is just to be  
>Caught up in the touch<br>The slow and steady rush  
>Baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be<br>I can feel you breathe  
>Just breathe<strong>_

Philip Coulson noticed his colleague Melinda May standing in the doorway watching everybody dance. Lily was consulting on one of her cases and had invited her to the party. He walked over to her.

"Agent May?"

"Yes Phil, I'll dance with you."

_**In a way I know my heart is waking up  
>As all the walls come tumbling down<br>I'm closer than I've ever felt before  
>And I know<br>And you know  
>There's no need for words right now<strong>_

Natasha watched as her male colleagues and trainee dance and thought that Clint and Lily actually looked good together. Her partner deserved to find a nice woman that wasn't a Shield agent but understood that life.

She smiled at the young man who walked up to her and started to dance with him. Love is for children had always been her motto but the man dancing with her was cute and good for a dance or two, maybe a one night stand if he wasn't a complete ass.

_**'Cause I can feel you breathe**_  
><em><strong>It's washing over me<strong>_  
><em><strong>Suddenly I'm melting into you<strong>_  
><em><strong>There's nothing left to prove<strong>_  
><em><strong>Baby all we need is just to be<strong>_  
><em><strong>Caught up in the touch<strong>_  
><em><strong>The slow and steady rush<strong>_  
><em><strong>Baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be<strong>_  
><em><strong>I can feel you breathe<strong>_  
><em><strong>Just breathe<strong>_

_**Caught up in the touch**_  
><em><strong>The slow and steady rush<strong>_  
><em><strong>Baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be<strong>_  
><em><strong>I can feel you breathe<strong>_  
><em><strong>Just breathe<strong>_

_**I can feel the magic floating in the air**_  
><em><strong>Being with you gets me that way<strong>_

As the song ended, Grant kissed Skye tenderly, not caring that their family and friends were watching. They were together and that was all that mattered.

* * *

><p>AN: They are finally together and this first part is over. I needed to write some romantic stuff after this week's episode. I hope I did those parts justice because they are not my strong suit at all.<p>

Now I am going to do a six year time jump to the events of season 1. Will Skye and Ward still be together and how will things change if they are?


	6. Mr and Mrs Ward

**Four years later-a week before The Battle of New York**

Grant was nervous, really nervous as he watched the preparations for his wedding from the pool house window, wearing a standard black tuxedo. He had faced down situations where other people had intended to do his country and the world harm and didn't break a sweat. The fact that in a few hours every guest that was coming to his wedding would be looking at him made him want to run. It was only that he was marrying the girl of his dreams that kept him where was at.

It hadn't been easy for him and Skye but they had made it to this day and despite his nerves, marrying her would be the best thing that had ever happened to him. The only time they had come close to breaking up had been when Miles had come back into Skye's life and tried to break them up so he could get Skye back. He had tried every nasty and underhanded trick he could to break them up and had almost succeeded a year before.

Skye had moved in with him while she was attending the Communications division of the Academy. It had taken time for them to get used to each other's habits but it was working. Until Miles had come back into the picture, seemingly accepting of the fact that Skye was with Grant.

One day, Grant had walked into his apartment to the sight of Miles and Skye kissing and was getting ready to kill someone. That was until Skye had shoved Miles away from her and slapped the fire out of him, ordering him out of her home. She had then turned to see Grant standing there and had quickly started to explain that it wasn't what it looked like.

The only thing that had kept him from storming out or killing Miles then storming out had been Natasha walking out of his kitchen. She had quickly told Grant that she had been there the whole time and had just walked out of the room when he'd come into the room. The next thing everybody knew, Miles was on the floor, holding his bloody nose from where Grant had punched him.

He had proposed to her the previous Christmas and in six months, his aunt and grandmother had helped them plan the wedding of their dreams.

"Ready for this, son?"

Grant, despite efforts on Travis' part to fix their relationship, had to fight not to tell him that he had lost that right years ago. He only maintained a civil relationship with him for his aunt, Gramsy and Skye's sake. There was only one man he thought of as a father and Travis Ward wasn't it.

"I'm fine. What are you doing here?"

"Grant…"

"You lost all right to be my father when you were willing to send me to juvie after your precious Christian almost killed Lou and I tried to defend her. Philip Coulson has been my father since I was fifteen years old and it drives you crazy doesn't it?"

Before Travis could respond, Lily stepped into the pool house and closed the door behind her. She looked angry at both her older brother and nephew but was trying to keep her composure so she wouldn't cause a scene.

"Travis, get out," she bit out harshly and waited until her brother left before turning to face her nephew, who was clenching his fists in anger. "You chose your wedding day to say something like that to him?"

Grant didn't say anything; he just continued to stare out the window, lost in his own emotions. In a lot of ways, he was still that lost and abandoned little boy she had went to juvie and brought back home with her.

"Lilly, let me talk to him, after all I am his best man. Skye needs your help," Clint Barton said, kissing her on the cheek as he stepped into the pool house.

She lightly kissed him on the lips before leaving the pool house to help her little girl get ready for her wedding.

Clint stood beside his friend and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I would have told him to back off too, Grant."

"He is angry that Skye chose to have Coulson walk her down the aisle instead of him and that I chose you instead of Christian to be my best man. It is all about fucking politics with the both of them and it pisses me off."

"You are getting ready to marry the love of your life in about thirty minutes; do you want to spend the rest of your time as a single man pissed at your sperm donor?"

Grant busted out laughing at Barton's words and they started to talk about where he and Skye were going for their honeymoon instead.

* * *

><p>Skye sat in front of her dresser; wearing the dress that she had fallen in love with from the moment she saw it. It was a ballgown with a high neck of decorative lace that came from her waist, over the strapless bodice and around her neck, with her shoulders bare. She felt like a princess.<p>

"You look lovely," Gramsy said, as she stood in the doorway.

"Thank you, Gram."

"I have something for you," Constance said as she walked over to her granddaughter and stood behind her. "My maternal grandmother wore this on her wedding day, my mother and I both wore it on our wedding days. Since Louise chose a new one for her wedding and your mom isn't planning on getting married anytime soon, I was told to give it to you."

Skye took the box from her grandmother and sat it down on the dresser before opening it. It was a lace veil that had a clip in the shape of tiara so it would stay in place and she lifted it gently out of the box.

"Let me help you put it on, baby," her mom said as she walked into the room with Louise and Natasha wearing their pale pink strapless bridesmaid dresses, right behind her.

Lily took the veil from her daughter and clipped the veil to Skye's hair and smiled tearfully as the lace fell down her back to her waist. She helped pull the part that went over her face down and every woman in the room pulled out their phones to take a picture. She was breathtaking.

"Grant's going to forget to breathe when he sees you," Louise commented, her hand resting on the slight swell of her belly. She was sixteen weeks pregnant with her first child but was grateful she could still wear her bridesmaid dress.

The sound of the door rushing open and the sight of a four year old boy running into the room made everybody in the room stop short. The little boy stopped beside Skye and he smiled sweetly at her.

"You look pretty, Skye."

"Thank you, Caleb. Don't you look handsome in your tuxedo?"

"Don't like it but mommy said that I have to wear it or I can't have cake after the wedding"

Coulson stepping into the doorway and was taken away at how beautiful his little girl looked in her wedding dress.

"It's time. There is a nervous groom, waiting for his bride."

Everybody got up and walked down the stairs to the patio door that led to the garden, where the wedding was taking place.

* * *

><p>Grant stood at the altar and felt even more nervous than before until Clint leaned over and whispered in his ear.<p>

"It will be better once you see her, Natasha texted me a picture, she is beautiful."

Canon in D started and Gramsy was brought down the aisle and seated by Christian before Lily was escorted down the aisle by Travis. She was wearing a tea length, chiffon mother of the bride dress in pale pink.

Grant heard Clint's reaction rather than saw it and had to fight not to smirk at his best man.

Natasha came down first, and then Lou before Caleb came down the aisle, holding the hand of the two year old daughter of a family friend, who was the flower girl.

Once everybody was in place, the wedding march started and Grant felt his breath leave his body at the beautiful woman coming down the aisle towards him, on Coulson's arm.

As soon as Skye and Coulson reach the altar, the music stops and Grant takes her hand in his and they turn to face the preacher but not before he tells her how beautiful she is.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Grant and Skye in holy matrimony, which is an honorable state that is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and soberly. Into this estate these two persons present come now to be joined.  
>If anyone can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, let<br>them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Nobody said a word and any chance of Miles interfering was slim to none because Lily had hired plenty of security to keep him out.

"Who gives this woman to marry this man?"

Coulson spoke from where he was sitting beside Lily, a beaming smile on his face.

"Her mother and I do."

The preacher resumed speaking and turned to face Grant, who still couldn't take his eyes off of Skye as they faced each other.

"Do you, Grant, take Skye to be thy wedded wife, to have and to  
>hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and<br>in health, to love, honor, and cherish, 'til death do you part."

"I do."

"Do you, Skye, take Grant to be thy wedded husband, to have and to  
>hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and<br>in health, to love, honor, and cherish, 'til death do you part."

"I do."

"May we have the rings?"

Caleb stepped up and held up the pillow in his hand to the preacher before stepping back where he was standing between his uncle and Clint.

"The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond  
>which unites two loyal hearts in endless love. It is a seal of the vows Grant and Skye have made to one another. May she and he, who give them, and who wear these rings, live together in unity, love and happiness for the rest of their lives?"<p>

"Skye, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you. With this ring, I thee wed," Grant stated as he placed the ring on Skye's finger.

"Grant, I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you. With this ring, I thee wed," she said, while sliding the ring on his finger.

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Son, you may kiss your bride."

Grant and Skye shared a kiss so tender that it took their breaths away as they lost themselves in each other and everything around them disappeared, all that mattered was them.

* * *

><p>AN: I was originally going to get into the events of season one with this next chapter and I do have the chapter partially written but decided to add their wedding before getting into that. I am considering writing a chapter about the reception and honeymoon but haven't made a final decision yet.<p>

I hope I wrote this okay. I've been writing fanfictions for close to ten years and still am very critical of my writing.


	7. Reception Drama

AN: What can I say about The Writing On The Wall? I think I like cocky and arrogant Ward, he wasn't taking any of the team's crap and when Skye tried to pull that same stunt she did in the previous episode, he shut her down quick. I am thinking of having that arrogance be a source of conflict for his marriage in that Skye, at times, has to fight not to kiss him or tell him off for it.

As stated in a previous author's note, I am more of a Steve/Natasha fan than a Clintasha fan so this chapter will start a connection between them because they will meet a week earlier in this story as opposed to when they met in The Avengers. I still haven't made the decision if they are going to stay friends or something more because my main focus is Skyeward in this story.

* * *

><p>Steve Rogers was out of his element as he stood among the guests of the wedding. He had been invited by Lily Ward who had been kind and welcoming to him after he had been found frozen om The Arctic a year earlier. They had discussed some of the battles that her father had been a part of during the war and it seemed to help them both with issues from the past.<p>

He had met the young couple who had gotten married, Skye and Grant, through Lily and he thought they suited each other. Seeing the two of them dancing together, smiling and happy made him miss Peggy and the life they could have had together. It ached to see his strong and tough Peggy in a nursing home, barely remembering who she was half of the time.

"Captain Rogers, would you like to dance with me?"

He smiled at Natasha Romanov, the beautiful redheaded Shield agent before taking her hand and walking to the dance floor. Having women be more forward and doing roles that men did during his time took some getting used to but he had a feeling that the agent he was dancing with could handle herself perfectly, just like Peggy had.

"I saw you talking to Agent Coulson earlier; did he ask you to sign his trading cards yet?"

"Is he the one who gave the bride away?"

"Yes"

"Yes, he did. I hope I am not taking attention away from the bride and groom by being here. A lot of people seem to be focusing on me instead of them."

"As long as Grant and Skye have each other, nobody else exists. This day was more for their family and not them."

"Let me get this straight, Lily Ward is Grant's aunt and she adopted Skye so technically aren't they cousins?"

"Yes but they aren't related by blood. They always saw each other as a best friend and not as cousins and when Skye turned eighteen, they finally gave into the feelings they had for each other."

"How do you know so much about this?"

"I was Grant's supervising officer and he has been like a brother to me."

"Uncle Grant!"

Natasha grinned as Caleb ran onto the dance floor and over to the newly married couple, the little boy giggling as his uncle picked him up into his arms.

"He really loves his uncle," Steve said, smiling softly at the young couple dancing with the little boy.

"Yes, he does but given how much his father ignores him for his political career, Grant and Clint have been more of a father to Caleb than Christian has ever been."

"If I had a son, I would spend time with him every chance I could get," Steve said, longingly.

Natasha didn't say anything as the mid-tempo song finished playing before the unplugged version of 'Have I Told You Lately' by Rod Stewart started to play.

* * *

><p>Grant spoke softly into Caleb's ear before placing his nephew down on the ground and watched as he ran over to where Phil Coulson was talking to Melinda May. He stood up and took his wife into his arms and held her against him as the music swept them away.<p>

"Did you happen to notice that Natasha is dancing with Captain Rogers?"

"I didn't because I have the most beautiful woman in the world here in my arms."

Skye smiled up at her husband before gently kissing him.

"That wasn't the least bit cheesy at all, Grant Douglas," she smirked at him.

"I don't care if it was."

She giggled at him before laying her head on his chest, running her fingers down the lapel of his tux.

"So would it look bad if we left our own reception to be alone?"

Grant grinned at her words before leaning down to whisper in her ear.

"After the song ends, I'll leave and go to my old bedroom, wait a few minutes and follow me."

Ten minutes later, Skye walked up the stairs and down the hall towards Grant's old bedroom, opening the door and locking it behind her. She turned and saw her smirking husband sitting on the bed.

"Did anybody see you?"

"No," she said walking towards him as he stood up and met her halfway across the room, lips meeting in a steamy kiss that made both of them moan in pleasure. She felt him lift her off of the floor and start to carry her over to the bed.

Before anything else can happen there was a knock at the door and Christian's voice carried through it. It had its usual tone of smugness that made Grant want to beat the hell out of him in revenge for his part in Tommy's death.

"As much as the two of you want to rip each other's clothes off, Aunt Lily said to get down here and throw the bouquet and garter before you leave for your honeymoon,"

"Fuck off, Christian!"

Grant then put Skye back down on her feet and they helped each other make sure the other was presentable enough before taking the other's hand. They walked over to the door and opened it to the sight of his smirking older brother standing there.

"Shut up, Christian," Skye stated before pulling Grant down the hall with her to keep him from punching his brother.

Christian walked away and down the stairs where Lily, Clint, Coulson, May, Natasha and Steve were standing. They had overheard the conversation and seen Skye pulling a furious Grant out of the house.

"Christian reminds me of this guy that I was in boot camp with before I was selected for the Super Soldier program. He was an arrogant ass that made you want to punch him in the head," Steve said to Lily, who was shaking her head in disbelief at how her oldest nephew was acting.

"He is all of that and more, Captain," Clint commented, clenching his fist in anger. "One day, he is going to say and/or do the wrong thing to his brother and he will wish that he hadn't."

"Let's hope that day never comes, Clint because he isn't worth Grant going to jail over."

Clint's cellphone started to ring before anything else was said in response to Coulson's comment. It was Director Fury, who had already left the reception, and after a brief conversation, he turned to Lily, kissing her gently.

"I have to get back, something is happening with the project I have been assigned to," he said before turning to face Coulson. "He needs you there too, Phil."

The two men walked away while the others went back out to the reception, the sight of Skye preparing to throw the bouquet greeted them.

"Natasha, Lily go over there with the other single women, maybe one of you will be the next one to get married," Gramzy said, smirking at the scowl on her daughter's face.

Steve stood beside Constance and watched as Skye threw the bouquet behind her and grimaced at the sight of grown women desperately pushing each other out of the way. It went flying into Natasha's arms, who groaned in agitation before planting a fake smile on her face.

The crowd then focused on the stage again as Skye sat down in a chair and blushed as Grant bent down with a cocky smirk on his face. His head went up under the skirt of her wedding dress and the garter on her thigh was being slid off her ankle as he reappeared.

"Really, they can wait for that stuff until their wedding night," Constance stated.

Lily and Natasha both turned to face the Ward family matriarch, shocked at what she had just said.

"Mom, I hate to tell you but they have been having sex, quite a lot of it, since the week after Skye's high school graduation when they went to the house in the Hamptons for a vacation."

Steve knew that people were more expressive with their sexuality in this time period but it still took some getting used to. He felt a gentle hand on his arm and noticed Natasha standing there, empathy in her green eyes.

"Captain Rogers, you need to join the single men. Maybe you will catch the garter," Constance said, trying to ignore her daughters comment about her grandson and adoptive granddaughter's sex life.

Steve reluctantly joined the other men and watched as the men, in direct opposite of how the women acted about the bouquet, trying to avoid the garter as Grant threw it into the crowd of men. He grabbed it to keep it from hitting the ground and to once again have the opportunity to dance with Natasha. He didn't know if his connection that had quickly developed was romantic or just friendship but he wanted to find out. Peggy, in her lucid moments had told him to try to be happy; maybe it was time he took her advice.

* * *

><p>Later that night after the newlyweds and wedding guests had left; Lily was in her room, worrying about Clint and what he was doing to protect the Tesseract. She didn't agree with Nicholas and the Council using it for making weapons because that would only make things worse. Her powers were telling that something was coming and everything inside of her was saying that the people she cared for were going to be hurt or worse because of it.<p>

The sound of her bedroom door flying open Caleb running into the room, crying and holding his cheek, made her jump. She rushed over to scoop her tiny nephew up into her arms and sat down on her bed.

Once she calmed him down, Lily lifted his hand off of his cheek and the bruise forming there, made her so angry she couldn't speak.

"Who hit you, sweetie?"

"Mommy, before she started screaming at Daddy. I ran after he told me to get out or he would hit me too."

Lily took Caleb to her mom's room and after explaining to Constance what was going on, she stormed down the hall to her nephew and his wife's bedroom. She used her magic to throw open the locked door and stopped at the sight of Christian's hands around Abby's throat, pinning her to their bed.

Both of them looked like they had beat the devil out of each other and because the room was soundproofed, nobody had heard a thing.

"Stop it now or I will have the police arrest you both! I don't give a damn what started it but I am finishing it and as soon as I can talk to the family lawyer, custody of Caleb will signed over to me because I'll be damned if I let either one of you abuse that sweet little boy ever again.

Lily left the room, slamming the door behind her and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. She was glad that once Caleb had been born her mother had ordered Christian to live at their house with his new family. It had been the only way to ensure that the abuse wouldn't continue into the next generation. It hadn't worked with Caleb but now that she would have custody of him, it would never happen again and now that Abby couldn't have any more children, there wasn't a chance of Christian or his wife abusing anymore children.

* * *

><p>In one of the finest suites of the Ritz Carlton in Boston, Skye laid her head on Grant's chest and started laughing hysterically.<p>

"What is so funny?"

"I know that Christian is the last person I should be thinking off right after we finished making love but all I can see is his face after we opened your bedroom door and he would see how pissed off you were at him. He was scared of you, especially since mom 'accidentally' let it slip just what it is a Specialist does and that you have been trained to do that for Shield from the moment you entered the Academy seven years ago."

"I guess I need to a better job of keeping your focus on me," he said before flipping her over and leaning down to kiss his wife with a fierce passion that led to more pleasurable activities. Any thoughts of anybody else were gone as they lost themselves in each other.

* * *

><p>AN: The next chapter will lead into the events of The Avengers and where they are as everything goes down in New York.<p> 


	8. Battle Of New York

**Right after Loki's escape**

Skye ran into the room, glancing over at the huge hole in the wall, where the body of the only man she had known as a father laid propped against a control panel and tears filled her eyes. She knelt down by Phil Coulson's side and touched his face gently, heartbroken sobs shaking her body.

"Skye…"

Grant stepped into the room, devastated at the sight of Coulson's lifeless body. He knelt down and took his wife into his arms, his own tears mixing with hers.

**Twenty four hours earlier**

"Call Agent Ward and tell him we need him here to help find Barton," Fury said to Natasha and Coulson, who both had to fight not to roll their eyes at him. "I know the man is on his honeymoon but he and his wife can help with finding Barton and the Tesseract so it is their duty as Shield agents to come in when ordered.

Natasha took out her phone and called Grant's cellphone and let it ring for about thirty seconds when a breathless Skye angrily answered the phone.

"What!"

"Skye put Grant on the phone. It's important."

Grant's voice came over the phone, just as breathless as his wife, sounding as if he could kill someone.

"Natasha, this had better be pretty fucking important because I was in the middle of seeing how many times I could make my wife scream my name."

Tony Stark, who had overheard what was said, smirked wickedly along with the other Avengers in the room, well except for Thor, who looked confused. Nick Fury rolled his eyes while Maria Hill started to grin.

"Grant, do you really think I would call you on your honeymoon if it wasn't important? Barton's been compromised and we need your help to find him. Fury is sending a quinjet to the roof of your hotel in two hours."

"We'll be ready. You owe me, Natasha."

"I'm sure Lily will let you use your family's home in the Hamptons to finish your honeymoon after this is over."

She hung up the phone and that is when Thor asked the one question that set everybody to laughing.

"Why would he want his wife to scream his name?"

The only one not laughing was Coulson and he quietly whispered to Thor what Grant had meant by that. The blush on the God's face was enough to make everybody laugh even more.

* * *

><p>Later that day, Grant was sitting with Natasha going over all of the places where they had safe houses and hot boxes, hoping to find signs that Clint had been there.<p>

"Nobody has told me what is going on here. How did Clint end up being compromised?"

"Thor's brother Loki come through a portal and used his staff to control Clint, Dr. Selvig and some other Shield agents while taking the Tesseract. We captured Loki in Germany and now we need to find Clint and get the Tesseract back before all hell breaks loose even more than it has already.

"Are you talking about the staff that is in the lab where my wife is helping Dr. Banner and Stark look for the Tesseract?"

"Yes."

"Nat, Skye is pregnant. I don't want her anywhere around that damn thing."

Coulson, who had been listening to the conversation, grabbed his phone and quickly called Tony Stark.

"Stark, keep Skye away from that staff. She is not to touch it at all."

Stark's voice can be heard asking Coulson why.

"She's pregnant and if my daughter or her baby is hurt, I will blame you for it."

"Grant, she is going to kick your ass for telling everybody like this," Natasha commented.

"I don't give a damn. I am trained Specialist for Shield but my wife and baby come first."

"As it should be, son," Fury said, walking over to them.

Natasha stood up and left the room, the chair she was sitting in spinning in circles from how quickly she moved.

"She is going to confront Loki," Coulson said.

All three men hoped that she didn't attack the deranged God but knew she might their best hope for answers.

* * *

><p>After Natasha had gotten information out of Loki, Skye and Grant watched as the Avengers and Fury argued over the weapons being made with the Tesseract. They then decided to leave the room because this was beyond their clearance level. The latter also wanted Skye away from that staff. They reached their assigned quarters and he prepared himself for the coming argument.<p>

"Grant Douglas, I seem to remember that we agreed to tell people about the baby after I reached my second trimester. I am only eight weeks and you all of a sudden decide to tell Natasha, AC and Director Fury. Why?"

"They had just told me that staff was used to brainwash Clint and other agents and it scared the hell out of me. You and our baby are more important to me than being an agent, Skye. I will not let anything happen to my family. I am going to be a better parent than mine ever were."

"You already are, Grant."

She walked over and softly kissed him, wrapping her arms around him. They just held each other, taking comfort from the other's presence. It was in that moment when all hell broke loose and the helicarrier started to shake.

The two of them rushed out of their quarters and while Grant helped fight off the men invading the ship, Skye rushed to help on the bridge and came face to face with Clint Barton. The lifeless look in his eyes terrified her and knew that the kind man that had been dating her mother over the past four years wasn't himself.

Before anything could happen, Phil Coulson pulled her out of the way and led her into the infirmary. He turned to face her with a stern look before hugging her.

"Stay here, Skye. You aren't a trained operative like the rest of us are even if Grant and Natasha have been training you. Strap into one of the beds before you fall and lose your baby," he gently demanded before kissing her on the forehead. "I have loved you, Grant and Louise like you were my own from the moment I met all of you. If anything happened to any of you, it would hurt me so do this for me."

"Of course, AC, I love you too."

Skye hugged him before he walked out of the infirmary. A wave of dread went over her as she watched him leave before doing what he said and got up on the bed. She had just finished strapping herself to it when the ship started to tilt to the side.

* * *

><p>While the Avengers had gone to New York to stop the Chitauri and Loki, Grant and Skye had flown back to their family home outside of Boston. They had been greeted by a tearful Lily, who was holding Caleb's hand.<p>

At the sight of the bruise around the little boy's eye, Skye knelt down and hugged him tightly against her. He reminded her of pictures that she had seen of all three of the Ward brothers when they were his age and knew he would love the thought of a baby cousin.

"How's Clint? I would have been there if all hell hadn't of broke loose with your brother and Abby," Lily explained, while hugging her nephew.

"He went with Nat and Captain Rogers to try and stop Loki," Grant said. "Who hit Caleb?"

"Skye, take Caleb to the kitchen and get him a cookie. Mrs. Blake made your favorite this morning."

Before Skye could lead Caleb into the house, the little boy ran to his uncle and jumped into his arms, tears falling from his eyes.

"Mommy was mean to me, Uncle Grant. Daddy told me to leave before he hit me too."

"I'm sorry they hurt you, buddy," he said, hugging his nephew to him. "How about you go get some chocolate chip cookies with Skye and let me and Aunt Lily talk?"

Grant sat Caleb down on the ground and watched as he went with Skye into the house before furiously turning to face his aunt.

"Abby did that to him! Why would Christian threaten to hit him?"

"I talked to your brother the next day after everything had calmed down and he told me that he said that to get Caleb away from Abby. After the crap your mother pulled on the both of you and Lou when you were growing up, he wouldn't dare hit that child. He loves his son but he doesn't want him to grow up with parents that don't love each other the way all of you did."

"I have a feeling the truce between Skye and Abby is over. She adores Caleb and has helped take care of him from the moment he was born."

"I need you and Skye to raise him. Christian and Abby signed away their rights to him and your brother told me that he wanted you to do this for him. He knows you love Caleb as if he were yours and have been a better father figure than he has ever been."

"I'll talk to Skye and see what she says," Grant said, unsure of his own feelings on raising his nephew.

"Fury called and told me about Phil and he wants me to take care of the funeral arrangements,"

Tears filled Grant's eyes and he felt his aunt wrap her arms around him, sobbing into her shoulder. He had been strong for Skye and hadn't truly let the grief go yet. He gave into it with the person who had held him as a little boy when his mother had taken her own unhappiness out on him and Christian's abuse from his own pain at their mother's hands.

* * *

><p>Inside the house, Skye and Caleb sat at the kitchen table eating cookies while the small television the cook used to watch her soap operas played in the background. It was on one of the news channels and footage from the battle in New York was all that was on.<p>

"Why did that mean man come here, Skye?"

Skye was at a loss as to how to answer the little boy's question when Christian and Abby walked into the room. The temperature in the room dropped when she saw Abby, who quickly left the room.

"You better run," Skye muttered to herself.

"I'm sorry about Coulson," Christian said. "I am being called back to Washington to deal with everything that is happening right now in New York."

Skye watched as her cousin walked out of the room and glanced over at Caleb, who had tears in his eyes.

"Why doesn't my daddy love me, Skye?"

She lifted him into her arms and held him as he cried, rocking him gently. She saw Grant and her mom step into the room and walk over to the table.

"Caleb, how about I take you upstairs for a nap?"

"No nap," Caleb said as he jumped off of Skye's lap and ran out of the room with Lily following in behind him.

"I want him with us. He doesn't need to live in the same house with Abby."

Grant sat down in the chair beside her, grinning because he didn't have to find a way to bring up what Lily had told him outside.

"Aunt Lily has already asked me to talk to you about us adopting him. She has already had Christian and Abby sign away their rights after what happened. I want him too but how are we going to do this?"

"We will work it out. I just wish AC would have been here to spoil his grandchildren."

"He would have Caleb, our baby and Lou's spoiled rotten."

They shared an embrace, both crying at the loss of the man that had been a father to them, wishing he was still there to enjoy the new babies and be there for them in regards to Caleb.

* * *

><p>AN: I am trying to decide if I want to end this story with the next chapter and Coulson's funeral, and then do a sequel where the two of them and Coulson are reunited when the team is put together.<p> 


	9. Broken Hearts

AN: The Winter Finale was a punch to the gut. That is all I will say about it because if I did, it would end up in a long rant.

* * *

><p>A week had passed since the Battle of New York and in the aftermath, the price was too high for everybody. It had led to the death of Phil Coulson and countless other people that had been in New York during the invasion. Now it was time for Shield to say goodbye to one of their own.<p>

The memorial was being held in a small chapel outside of Washington DC before his body was transported to his hometown where he would be buried. Every Shield agent that could make it was attending along with the Avengers, among them was John Garrett. He had tried to talk to Grant a couple of days after the battle but after one burning glare from Skye, who remembered the vision of the alternate timeline that her mom had told her about, the man wisely backed off.

The Ward family had flown down and was staying at the Hay Adams in a couple of suites while Abby stayed with Christian in the townhouse that he stayed in when he was in town. It was in her best interest to be as far away from Grant and Skye, especially the latter, as possible.

There had been a confrontation where Skye had to be carried out of the room to keep her from physically attacking Abby. It had led to Grant and Skye taking Caleb, along with a nanny that had been hired, to their family's home in the Hamptons. They had all spent a nice week there, spending time with Caleb during the day and resuming their honeymoon at night; although the pain of Coulson's death had cast a shadow over all of them.

* * *

><p>The night before the service, Skye, Grant and Caleb were in one of the hotel suites, the adults watching the little boy sleep. He had been emotionally upset the entire week and having nightmares about being abandoned by the rest of his family. It had brought Skye to tears everytime it happened.<p>

"Christian needs to talk to him and explain why he is doing this. Caleb thinks that he doesn't love him and that is why he is giving him to the two of us."

"It is only going to get worse, Skye," Grant said, walking into the lounge area of the suite.

"What does that mean?"

Skye had followed him into the room and was staring him down, waiting for the answer to her question.

"Christian is filing for a divorce from Abby. He told dad that he wants out of this marriage and wants to marry his high school sweetheart, Anna. He is tired of the bullshit and living a lie."

Fear filled Skye at his words because she had come to consider Caleb her child in the week since he had come to live with them.

"He doesn't want Caleb back, does he?"

"No. He still thinks that we are better for his son than he is. He just wants Abby out of all of our lives."

The couple sat down of the couch and cuddled together, taking comfort from the other's presence as the reality of why they were there hit them. Skye started to cry softly.

"It doesn't feel real, Grant. He can't be gone," she whispered.

They held each other as once again both of them cried over the loss of the man they had both loved like a father.

* * *

><p>After the service was over, there was a gathering at the hotel where most of the guests were staying. The guests mingled and discussed memories of Coulson, amid tears and laughter.<p>

* * *

><p>Lily Ward watched her daughter and nephew as they stood talking to Steve Rogers, Caleb standing beside Grant, holding his hand.<p>

"You've been avoiding me, Lil."

She turned to face Clint and reached out to take his hand, tears filling her eyes.

"I thought you needed some time to process what that monster did to you."

"Nat thinks I should take some time away from Shield. I was planning on going to my farmhouse to spend some time for myself. I was hoping you would go with me. It's time your family started running their own lives and you spend some time for yourself."

"I would like that," she said before kissing him softly.

"Aw. Aren't the two of you sweet?"

They pulled away from each other see Natasha standing there with a mischievous smirk on her face. She then turned to walk over to Steve was still talking to Skye and Grant.

"What happened with them in New York? Something has changed between them," Lily said.

"I don't know and Nat isn't one for admitting what she feels."

Lily's cellphone went off and saw that it was Nick Fury who was calling her. She answered it and listened to what he had to say before hanging up.

"I need you to come with me to hold my hand because Nick wants to see me and I have a feeling I am going to need someone to be there for me."

"What's going on?"

"He didn't say."

The two of them left the room and walked down into the conference room where Nick and Maria were waiting with grim expressions on their faces.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, the Wards were having a family dinner at Christian's home in DC while Caleb took a nap upstairs. Everybody was waiting on Lily to arrive in the living room when she stormed into the door, rushed over to her sister-in-law and grabbed her by the throat, throwing her to the floor.<p>

"You bitch!"

"Lily, what the hell is going on?"

Lily stood over Milly and glared down at her, as if daring to get up or speak. She turned to her brother and started to tell a story that would break her family's heart and cause them to hate Milly.

"Tommy has been alive this whole time and your bitch wife knew all along. She sent him to a private facility to recover from almost drowning."

"If my son's alive, why are you so upset?"

"After I stopped John Garrett from taking Grant, he took Tommy and has now brought him to Shield, acting like he just found and saved him from his 'captor'. Tommy told the truth to Fury about what had happened to him and Garrett has been arrested. He is in a private room at George Washington. If Milly had told us what had happened when Tommy was taken, he would have been found by now and brought home."

The sound of glass breaking from three different directions caused the rest of the family to turn and see that Grant, Christian and Louise had all thrown a plate at the wall. The rage burning in their eyes was so strong that Lily cast a calming spell to stop them from doing something stupid; like kill their mother.

"I want to see my grandson," Constance stated.

"He isn't your grandson! He was never a Ward," Milly screamed. "If anybody is going to see him, I am."

"Actually, no you are not. You are being charged with obstruction of justice for not saying anything after he was kidnapped. The police are outside to arrest you before turning you over to the police in Providence, Rhode Island. Oh and he is a Ward, I had a DNA test done on him years ago after I saw how much you favored him over your older three children. Your high school sweetheart isn't Tommy's father."

Two police stepped into the room, helped Milly up off of the floor and placed her in handcuffs, reading her Miranda rights as they did so.

"Mother," Grant's voice was harsh as he looked at her. "You are dead to me. You will **never **see my children and they will never know you as their grandmother, I will make damn sure of it."

"Same goes for me," Louise said through gritted teeth.

"I'm sure Grant will make sure that Caleb knows what you have done and my son will never see you again," Christian stated before walking out of the room and up the stairs to his bedroom.

The last thing Milly saw before she was led out of the room was two of her children being comforted by their spouses and her husband being held by his mother and sister as they cried. She had broken her family and all of it for nothing because her precious Tommy that she thought had been the love of her life's child wasn't.

* * *

><p>Christian stepped out of the master bathroom to see Caleb sitting on his bed, tears falling from his eyes.<p>

"Grandmother is mean."

"You heard that, son?"

"Am I still your son even though I will be living with Uncle Grant and Aunt Skye now?"

"Yes. I love you but I can't do to you what your grandparents did to me and your aunt and uncles. They never loved each other and you deserve a mommy and daddy that love each other and you."

The little boy threw his arms around his father and cried into his shoulder while Christian held him tightly. He glanced over and saw Skye standing in the doorway, tears in her eyes too.

* * *

><p>An hour later, the entire family was standing in a private waiting room at George Washington hospital in DC. Nick Fury had just stepped into the room and started to speak.<p>

"He wants to see you, Agent Ward. You are the one he seems to remember the most. Garrett showed him pictures of all of you so he knows what his family looks like. He even knows about Skye being his cousin and now sister-in-law. We have yet to figure out what Garrett hoped to accomplish with bringing him back but he isn't talking and has been transferred to the Fridge."

"Good, I hope the son of a bitch rots there," Lily stated.

Grant left the room with Fury but not before gently kissing his wife.

"I love you."

"I love you too. Take care of your brother and I'll be here when you get back."

* * *

><p>AN: This is the last chapter of this story but there will be a sequel that will start with the events of the first season but with a Skyeward twist to it. Tommy being alive and the one John Garrett kidnapped will play into the story too but not in the way it did with Grant on the show.<p> 


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